Sign of Change? - Um ...

[upstater]

They didn't "add" a hockey team. They took one that was a money pit, made an initial investment to upgrade it, got into the best conference in the nation, and positioned it to be at least revenue neutral, and more likely revenue positive for the long term. All major Hockey East programs at least revenue neutral, most are revenue positive.

You're forgetting the ancillary costs. The double scholarships for the women. The same arguments are made about football being in the black, but very school that jumps from 1-AA goes from a 7-digit athletic budget into the $25-30m range.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Newsflash, Hawk: He can't coach defense either.

He did at Norte Dame. I think he can, but not when he's consumed by a failing offense, which never lets the D rest. His adjustment moving Summers to safety after the first half against Syracuse was astute. I think the D just gave up over the last few games.

 

[UConnNick]

You're forgetting though that they already project to lose $35m-$38m a year.

That's the context around any decision.

In other words, you should be very scared that they are in such a corner that they can't budge. This is major. Their backs are up against the wall. This is desperation.

OK, accepting this premise as correct, why would you then create a new position for a recruiting coodinator, when any assistant coach already on staff and being paid normally handles that responsibility? You just effectively added another few hundred thousand to the football payroll when you go out and hire somebody to replace Verducci, while you're still paying him as well. If money is that tight, why are we throwing good money after bad? Why don't they just fire Verducci and eliminate his salary?

The decision making process is totally nuts, which makes it look like nobody knows WTF they're doing.

 

[UConnJim]

OK, accepting this premise as correct, why would you then create a new position for a recruiting coodinator, when any assistant coach already on staff and being paid normally handles that responsibility? You just effectively added another few hundred thousand to the football payroll when you go out and hire somebody to replace Verducci, while you're still paying him as well. If money is that tight, why are we throwing good money after bad? Why don't they just fire Verducci and eliminate his salary?

The decision making process is totally nuts, which makes it look like nobody knows WTF they're doing.

Verducci, like all assistant coaches, are under contract and the contracts are usually 1 or 2 year contracts. Thus, he gets paid until his contract runs out. He will not be at UConn next year and he is probably looking for a new job right now.

 

[upstater]

OK, accepting this premise as correct, why would you then create a new position for a recruiting coodinator, when any assistant coach already on staff and being paid normally handles that responsibility? You just effectively added another few hundred thousand to the football payroll when you go out and hire somebody to replace Verducci, while you're still paying him as well. If money is that tight, why are we throwing good money after bad? Why don't they just fire Verducci and eliminate his salary?

The decision making process is totally nuts, which makes it look like nobody knows WTF they're doing.

Are you saying the coaches do not have guaranteed contracts? I would assume they do, no?

 

[UConnNick]

Are you saying the coaches do not have guaranteed contracts? I would assume they do, no?

Even so, assistants don't generally have multi-year contracts, because they'd still have to be paid after the HC that hired them gets fired, and the new coach wants to hire his own assistants. So maybe Verducci's contract is up at the end of this season or lasts for another. The point is you're paying two coaches to do what one normally does for some length of time, depending on when you can get rid of him without having to pay him anymore.

 

[Oregon Owl]

3.7 million = 5% of AD budget; .03% of total 2017 university budget for all campuses (excluding UConn health).

.03%. Really? I understand things are tight for UConn and the State, but seriously, this is so clearly a penny-wise pound-foolish move that I can only conclude that A) collectively the Administration are just morons, or B) they really give 2 schitts about playing a major role in College athletics. To my admittedly novice eye there seems to be a least a possibility of 3.7 million dollars worth of wiggle room there, and that's without even TRYING to raise some additional cash from donors. Can somebody smarter than me about the inner workings of large public organizations please explain how the money is an insurmountable issue?

It seems as though they're not even trying. And that's a serious charge.

EDIT: Laziness is another possibility, but that seems implausible.

In a large university there are separate departments and they all have budgets they have to stick to. That means that money is not fungible. The only exception is privately raised cash. Donors will have to buy out that contract.

 

[Alum86]

He did at Norte Dame. I think he can, but not when he's consumed by a failing offense, which never lets the D rest. His adjustment moving Summers to safety after the first half against Syracuse was astute. I think the D just gave up over the last few games.

He lost the team. Just like Dracula 3 yrs ago. Anothef reason he should be canned, that and lying about Shireffs